Yoga on UNESCO cultural heritage list

During the current session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Addis Ababa, India’s proposal to inscribe yoga on the list was unanimously supported by all the 24 members of the panel, which included Turkey, Cuba, Afghanistan, Korea and Palestine, Indian Express reports.

“Huge achievement for India. #Yoga as an element has been inscribed in the @UNESCO list of Intangible #CulturalHeritage of the world,” tweeted Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma after the announcement.

Immediately after the first International Yoga Day was celebrated in June last year, the ministry had — through the Sangeet Natak Akademi – sent a dossier to UNESCO nominating yoga for the list, stressing upon its pan-Indian and global expanse, health benefits and how it is practised by people from all communities. The delegation from India was led by Ruchira Kamboj, permanent representative of India to UNESCO, who called it “diplomatic triumph”.